The subject matter herein relates generally to electrical connectors, and more particularly, to electrical connectors electrically coupled to an electrical ground through a cable.
Known connectors include a contact and a shield. The contact engages a mating contact to establish an electrical connection between the connector and the mating connector. The shield is electrically coupled to an electrical ground to shield the contact from electromagnetic interference. In some known connectors, the contact is electrically connected to a center conductor of a cable and the shield is electrically connected to a shield of the same cable. The center conductor in the cable electrically couples the contact in the connector with another electrical component, such as another connector or a conductive trace in a circuit board. The cable shield electrically connects the shield with an electric ground.
The electrical connection between the shield and the cable shield typically is established by crimping the shield onto the cable or using a technique referred to as Insulation Displacement Connection (“IDC”). Known cables include a protective insulating jacket that surrounds the cable shield. With crimping, the shield is bent or crimped, onto the cable. The cable includes a protective jacket that is locally stripped or removed to expose the cable shield. The shield is crimped onto the cable shield to establish the electrical connection between the shield and the cable shield. An IDC similarly requires part of the protective jacket to be stripped as the cable is inserted into the shield. Both of these techniques may result in the altering of the geometry or shape of the cable shield. For example, crimping may deform the geometry of the cable shield by reducing an outer diameter of the cable shield or by making the cable shield uneven and non-circular in the area where the cable is crimped. Altering the geometry of the cable shield may cause a change in the impedance of the cable. For example, reducing the diameter or changing the shape of the cable shield may cause a local increase, or spike, in the impedance exhibited by the cable at the location of the crimping or the IDC. Spikes in the impedance characteristic exhibited by the cable may impact the cable's ability to transmit and shield from electromagnetic interference the signals that are communicated using the cable and connector, and may increase noise in the signals.
Another known technique for coupling the shield and the cable shield involves manually soldering the shield and the cable shield together. Yet, the manual soldering of the shields may not provide, a reliable connection between the connector and cable shields. For example, human error in placing the solder may result in insufficient solder between the connector and cable shields, thereby resulting in a poor electrical connection between the connector and cable shields. A poor electrical connection between the connector and cable shields may prevent the shield from being electrically coupled to an electrical ground by the cable shield. In another example, error in the amount of heat applied to the connector and cable shields during soldering may result in insufficient thermal energy being transferred to the solder. The solder flows when heat is applied to the solder. As the solder flows, the solder fills in the voids and gaps between the connector and cable shields to electrically couple the connector and cable shields. If an insufficient amount of heat is applied to the solder, the solder may not flow enough to electrically couple the connector and cable shields.
Thus, a need exists for an improved manner of electrically and mechanically connecting a connector shield with a cable shield.